Terps assign new coaches to recruit Midwest as program moves into Big Ten

Jeff BarkerThe Baltimore Sun

Yesterday's signing day found Maryland in a transition period in football recruiting. Not only do the Terps have three new coaching assistants but the program is looking increasingly at the Midwest for talent given its impending move to the Big Ten.

Chad Wilt, the defensive line coach hired recently from Ball State, has been assigned ro recruit the Chicago and Indianapolis areas. Those were secondary areas for Maryland previously.

"Coming from the Midwest, he kind of had some ties in those areas," Maryland recruiting coordinator John Dunn said.

Greg Studrawa, the new offensive line coach, has been assigned the Cleveland and Cincinnati areas. He is originally from Ohio.

Maryland only signed one player from the Midwest on Wednesday -- tight end Andrew Gray from Chardon, Ohio. But Terps coaches played the Big Ten card, talking to recruits about future games with the conference's traditional powers.

"We used it and we used it quite often," head coach Randy Edsall said.

In its recruiting, Maryland will try to capitalize on the recent hiring of its best-known assistant -- wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, the longtime NFL receiver who established himself with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

McCardell was given the northern part of Florida to recruit. "Obviously he's got a name in Jacksonville where he had a great career," Dunn said.

Other parts of Florida are handled by offensive coordinator Mike Locksley and defensive coordinator Brian Stewart. It's the state that produced freshman cornerback-returner Will Likely, one of Maryland's most promising players.

Locksley is Maryland's key recruiter close to home. He took the lead in landing offensive lineman Damian Prince (Bishop McNamara), the top target of the 2014 class.